Celebrations & Thanks

[TheLureoftheGreen]

Dear All -- I received my green card yesterday. It's still surreal, but I am slowly starting to feel relieved.

I did have to seek help from my congresswoman. It took about three weeks since then to get an approval. Except, USCIS only approved my case, but not my wife's. So I won't celebrate quiet yet. We were also near the very end of a house sale/an out-of-state move from Cambridge MA when I received USCIS' approval notification; the timing meant that it was a bit too late to separately seek help on my wife's case from the MA congress rep. Now we've asked for assistance on my wife's case from our NY congress rep. I am just hoping that USCIS approves my wife's case without any hiccups (and soon).

Meanwhile, I have emailed my attorney a set of questions regarding the terms of employment tied to the green card. I'd love for your thoughts on these, please:

1. Can I go on an unpaid sabbatical for a few months? If not, how long would I need to wait to do so (in order to satisfy the intent for AOS)?
(An unpaid sabbatical for a few months would reduce my base annual wage below the offered base wage stated in AOS. I would be an employee of the firm and avail benefits but not a wage)
2. Am I still bound by the intent to hold full-time job at the firm or can I reduce my hours for few months at reduced wage below the AOS wage?
3. Does a promotion to a different title and wage affect my AOS intent if such a promotion were to happen in about 6 months?
4. Are there risks with any of these? I am concerned about the risks to the terms of my GC or when I file N-400 in five years.
5. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I do understand the GC residency requirements.

[krnashvom8]

Dear All -- I received my green card yesterday. It's still surreal, but I am slowly starting to feel relieved.

.

Congratulations LOTG! Had a question for you if you are ok with answering. Your RD is Aug 2020 which would be within the 30 month "normal" USCIS processing range. How were you able to get your Congressperson's help for that?
Enjoy the green side.

[qesehmk]

Dear All -- I received my green card yesterday. It's still surreal, but I am slowly starting to feel relieved.

I did have to seek help from my congresswoman. It took about three weeks since then to get an approval. Except, USCIS only approved my case, but not my wife's. So I won't celebrate quiet yet. We were also near the very end of a house sale/an out-of-state move from Cambridge MA when I received USCIS' approval notification; the timing meant that it was a bit too late to separately seek help on my wife's case from the MA congress rep. Now we've asked for assistance on my wife's case from our NY congress rep. I am just hoping that USCIS approves my wife's case without any hiccups (and soon).

Meanwhile, I have emailed my attorney a set of questions regarding the terms of employment tied to the green card. I'd love for your thoughts on these, please:

1. Can I go on an unpaid sabbatical for a few months? If not, how long would I need to wait to do so (in order to satisfy the intent for AOS)?
(An unpaid sabbatical for a few months would reduce my base annual wage below the offered base wage stated in AOS. I would be an employee of the firm and avail benefits but not a wage)
2. Am I still bound by the intent to hold full-time job at the firm or can I reduce my hours for few months at reduced wage below the AOS wage?
3. Does a promotion to a different title and wage affect my AOS intent if such a promotion were to happen in about 6 months?
4. Are there risks with any of these? I am concerned about the risks to the terms of my GC or when I file N-400 in five years.
5. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I do understand the GC residency requirements.

LoTG - many congratulations. I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. So take it fwiw. I believe you can leave right now if you did not have such intention before hand. The whole system has become a joke. How do they expect people to stay employed in the same role without exploitation?
Good luck!

[TheLureoftheGreen]

LoTG - many congratulations. I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. So take it fwiw. I believe you can leave right now if you did not have such intention before hand. The whole system has become a joke. How do they expect people to stay employed in the same role without exploitation?
Good luck!

Thank you, Q! I'll share what I learn from my attorney. The intent issue is nonsensical.

[TheLureoftheGreen]

Congratulations LOTG! Had a question for you if you are ok with answering. Your RD is Aug 2020 which would be within the 30 month "normal" USCIS processing range. How were you able to get your Congressperson's help for that?
Enjoy the green side.

Thank you, krnashvom8.

USCIS' "normal processing time" range dictates when one can raise a service request. It has nothing to do with you, as a constituent, requesting services from your congress rep. Your congress rep's office will anyway temper your expectations by telling you that while they can request an update on your case from USCIS, they cannot guarantee a favorable decision or even a substantive update. They will have you complete a Privacy Waiver Act form. You can explain in it that your priority date has been current since xx day, and that you are requesting an update on your case. My congresswoman's immigration coordinator told me that all reps and senators use the same liaison to coordinate with USCIS. Your request gets sent to USCIS via this liaison. Then it's up to USICS. In my case, it appears as though they approved my GC, and then got back the next day to my congresswoman.

If you've waited for 8-10 months since filing your AOS, I'd consider reaching out to your congress rep/senator. Good luck with everything!

[krnashvom8]

Thanks LOTG for the tip. Appreciate that

[mcmilers]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

[Zenzone]

Congrats mcmilers! Folks, Quick question! Are interviews even happening anymore for EB GC applicants? Asking because I see many straight up approvals and some chatter about the interviews getting scheduled at the same time. Is there a reason why we are seeing both of these things happen?

[vedu]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

Congratulations, mcmilers!!

[vsivarama]

Congratulations @mcmilers!!! Enjoy the freedom!!

[PDAUG2011]

It means its under their review and you have no action to take. Its standard language.

Thank you so much, will sit tight and wait for a communication from their side.

[PDAUG2011]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

Congratulations, mcmilers...enjoy!!!

[andhraguy]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

Congratulations, mcmilers!

[qesehmk]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

2001! Phew! All is well that ends well though. Many congratulations.

[LightAtEndOfTunnel]

Don't remember if this is the right thread. but just got an update from USCIS:

PD: Feb 2010
RFE Date: Jan 2021
RFER Date: 12 Apr 2021
A new card being produced: 15 June 2021

NSC Officer: 0104

I came to this country in July 2001 so an almost 20-year journey comes to an end. and Thank you, everyone, here for all your thoughtful insights and suggestions. you guys are awesome.

Congratulations @mcmillers !! GC does feel like a life-time achievement award at this point.

[idliman]

Congratulations to TheLureoftheGreen and mcmilers. I am sure more will feel relieved than celebrating. Best wishes for your next phase in life and future success to everyone who ends up finally in this thread.

[AceMan]

Congratulations TheLureoftheGreen, mcmilers on your GC

[LightAtEndOfTunnel]

Replying to my own post so that it can be helpful for others, My case was updated to "New Card is being Produced" yesterday (May 17) and today it changed to "Case Was Approved".

Many congratulations ! Must come as a great relief. Life won't change much but for sure you'd sleep better every night.

[mcmilers]

Thank you for all the warm wishes. It is a big relief for sure. I would say the 20 years is not all USCIS's fault, I didn't seriously start looking into applying for PR until 2008. So some of it is mine too.

[aGCHopefull]

Thank you for all the warm wishes. It is a big relief for sure. I would say the 20 years is not all USCIS's fault, I didn't seriously start looking into applying for PR until 2008. So some of it is mine too.

Congrats mcmilers!

[medatom]

Friends, just received the long awaited text messages for both primary and dependent.
PD: 11/18/09 EB2I
Center: TSC
RFE: 4/12/21 (Supp J, Medical and G325A)
RFE sent: 5/18
RFER: 5/20 and 5/21
CPO: 6/15
I485 approval: 6/16
Officer: XM1235

No RFE since 2012 until this year. Only dependent got the RFE for G325A but my attorney suggested to file the G325 for primary as well.

I hope everyone who has been waiting for so long gets their turn soon. Thanks to this forum and members for providing valuable information in times of need.
Good luck brothers and sisters.

[sstest]

Friends, just received the long awaited text messages for both primary and dependent.
PD: 11/18/09 EB2I
Center: TSC
RFE: 4/12/21 (Supp J, Medical and G325A)
RFE sent: 5/18
RFER: 5/20 and 5/21
CPO: 6/15
I485 approval: 6/16
Officer: XM1235

No RFE since 2012 until this year. Only dependent got the RFE for G325A but my attorney suggested to file the G325 for primary as well.

I hope everyone who has been waiting for so long gets their turn soon. Thanks to this forum and members for providing valuable information in times of need.
Good luck brothers and sisters.

Congrats Medatom! Enjoy the freedom.

[smuggymba]

Congratulations!!

Pretty sweet to get approval within a month from the REF Received date; that's very encouraging. My RFE Reply was sent y'day and will reach USCIS today. So, let's see.

PD: March 30th, 2010
RFE: May 27th, 2021
RFE Reply sent: June 16th, 2021

Friends, just received the long awaited text messages for both primary and dependent.
PD: 11/18/09 EB2I
Center: TSC
RFE: 4/12/21 (Supp J, Medical and G325A)
RFE sent: 5/18
RFER: 5/20 and 5/21
CPO: 6/15
I485 approval: 6/16
Officer: XM1235.

[Zenzone]

Friends, just received the long awaited text messages for both primary and dependent.
PD: 11/18/09 EB2I
Center: TSC
RFE: 4/12/21 (Supp J, Medical and G325A)
RFE sent: 5/18
RFER: 5/20 and 5/21
CPO: 6/15
I485 approval: 6/16
Officer: XM1235

No RFE since 2012 until this year. Only dependent got the RFE for G325A but my attorney suggested to file the G325 for primary as well.

I hope everyone who has been waiting for so long gets their turn soon. Thanks to this forum and members for providing valuable information in times of need.
Good luck brothers and sisters.

Congrats! That's the smell of freedom

[Zenzone]

Congratulations!!

Pretty sweet to get approval within a month from the REF Received date; that's very encouraging. My RFE Reply was sent y'day and will reach USCIS today. So, let's see.

PD: March 30th, 2010
RFE: May 27th, 2021
RFE Reply sent: June 16th, 2021

Good luck to you!